http://www.sheknows.com/articles/food-and-recipes/dessert-recipesSat, 01 Aug 2015 05:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090479/nutella-bruschetta
Nutella is a true love of my mine, but it's even better when I can actually call it dessert. These delicious dessert bruschettas take Nutella to a whole new level, with berries, bananas and marshmallows.The best thing about this dessert is that it's easy to throw together, so you can have a dinner party and put together dessert right at the end. My favorite topping will always be berries, but my husband is a huge fan of both the s'mores and the peanut butter-banana toppings.

More Nutella recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090479/nutella-bruschettaWed, 29 Jul 2015 14:30:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089611/no-bake-cookie-recipe
Summer heat brings one thing to mind when I’m in the kitchen, and that is not having to use my oven. That's why I love this super-easy cookie recipe that uses just the stovetop for a few minutes. These cookies are so easy to whip up, and since there is no baking, these treats invite your kids into the kitchen to help.

Rolled oats are combined with creamy peanut butter, cocoa powder and crushed pretzels for these easy, no-oven-required cookies. They're great for snacking, kids' lunchboxes or as a quick sweet fix while entertaining.

More no-bake recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089611/no-bake-cookie-recipeWed, 29 Jul 2015 08:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090859/vegan-dessert-hacks
Decadent desserts and veganism <em>can</em> go hand in hand, as long as you know your way around the kitchen.These vegan dessert hacks will help you churn out totally crave-worthy sweets, from meringues to puddings to classic cakes, that will impress everyone who takes a bite.

1. Coconut whipped cream

Are you dairy-free but still craving a cloud of rich-yet-fluffy whipped topping on your desserts? You can make your own using canned coconut milk. Refrigerate the can overnight, then skim off the semisolid white layer from the top of the can (reserving the liquid below for another use). Whip the coconut cream until soft peaks form, just as you would with traditional cream.

3. 1-Ingredient vegan ice cream

A creamy, frosty vegan treat is always just one banana away. Cut a banana into coins, then freeze. You can then simply blend the bananas in your food processor or blender until smooth. Feel free to add sweetener or other flavorings, though the frozen banana "nice cream" is great on its own — and the perfect excuse to have dessert for breakfast.

5. Sweet potato caramel

Combining cooked sweet potato and canned coconut milk turns out a dairy-free, corn syrup-free, nut-free caramel that tastes delicious and can be enjoyed by just about anyone. Best of all, it's just as sticky and delicious as the original.

6. Avocado pudding

Creamy, luscious puddings are still in reach for vegan eaters thanks to avocado. Their mild flavor and silky texture when blended make avocados the perfect base for pudding, whether you like chocolate, vanilla or mango.

7. Pumpkin-spiced everything

You might associate pumpkin with dairy-rich desserts, but it turns out that canned pureed pumpkin is a great vegan baking substitute. It can take the place of eggs as a binder and replaces butter or oil to add richness and moisture while also contributing extra nutrients and fiber to your recipe. And while you can go with the traditional pumpkin spice flavor profile, the puree on its own is relatively mild, so you can use it year-round in tons of different desserts (like these brownies). In general, 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree is equal to one egg, and you should use a 1:1 ratio to replace oil, while you need only three-quarters as much pumpkin as butter in a recipe.

8. Vegan soda cake

Need a cake in a pinch but don't feel like fussing over which vegan baking replacements you need to make? No worries — many boxed cake mixes happen to be vegan. All you need to do is add a can of soda and bake as usual for a semi-homemade vegan dessert.

9. Bake with buttermilk

Sure, it doesn't contain butter or milk, but vegan buttermilk is still a perfect substitute. Use your favorite vegan milk, whether soy, coconut or almond, and add 1 tablespoon of white or cider vinegar per cup. Just let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and you've got buttermilk. Try it out in this vegan buttermilk cake with blackberries.

10. Canned dough is your friend

Many canned biscuits and crescent rolls (Pillsbury, for one) are vegan, and they're a great starting point for vegan desserts. You can make doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread — just be creative, and you'll be rewarded with a delicious vegan dessert.

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090859/vegan-dessert-hacksMon, 27 Jul 2015 15:30:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088788/skillet-cookie-recipe
S'mores are a true signifier of hot weather and so totally ooey-gooey, they're perfect for camping and campfires.But what about when there isn't a campfire? This awesome skillet cookie delivers all the flavors of s'mores you love, but with a peanut butter twist. It's truly the best of both worlds.

This cookie starts off easily with a package of peanut butter cookie mix, but I jazzed it up with marshmallows, peanut butter candy, peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. This recipe makes one big cookie that's so delicious you won't want to share.

Peanut butter s'mores skillet cookie recipe

S'mores are great, but they're even better when you throw them on top of a peanut butter cookie and can eat them straight from the skillet.

Yields 1 large cookie

Prep time: 5 minutes | Bake time: 25 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (17.5 ounce) bag peanut butter cookie mix

1/2 cup marshmallows

1/3 cup Reese's Pieces

1/3 cup chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate syrup

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the cookie mix, and make according to the box directions.

Mix in most of the marshmallows (save a few for the top), the Reese's Pieces, Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate chips.

Press the cookie batter into an 8-inch skillet (or an 8 x 8-inch glass dish), and bake for about 25 minutes, until the cookie is browned around the edges and firm in the middle. Right before taking it out, add the remaining marshmallows on top, and let them melt for 2 minutes in the oven.

Remove, drizzle with chocolate syrup, and devour.

More cookie recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088788/skillet-cookie-recipeSat, 25 Jul 2015 12:30:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089423/mango-bread-pudding
Mangoes and coconuts brighten up bread pudding with unexpected tropical flavors in a fabulous, simple recipe.There are so many things to do with leftover bread, and one of them is to make bread pudding. Sweet or savory, it's always a winner. But I love modifying according to what other ingredients I have at home.

With this recipe, I added some mangoes and lemon zest to the pudding and finished it off with some mango-coconut cream. It'll be hard to resist snagging seconds. Enjoy!

Bread and mango pudding with mango-coconut cream recipe

Bread pudding is my favorite way to use up stale bread. It's a very easy, economical recipe too. With a touch of mangoes and coconut, this bread pudding is packed with tropical flavor.

More bread pudding recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089423/mango-bread-puddingThu, 23 Jul 2015 12:12:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090563/clean-eating-desserts-with-nutritional-value
We all love dessert. I mean, what's not to love? Sweet, rich and comforting, dessert has its place in all of our lives. But many desserts these days come with unpronounceable ingredients and questionable production methods. Dessert isn't just dessert anymore. At least not if you buy it at the store.

So I decided to troll the internet for some amazing, healthy, homemade dessert recipes that aren't overly complicated, taste great, look amazing and have whole-food ingredients — ingredients you can not only pronounce, but also recognize as real, honest-to-goodness food.

And while all desserts should be enjoyed in moderation (even these), you can definitely feel good that your body is getting some actual nutrition from these instead of a bunch of junk. I mean, if you're going to enjoy dessert, why not get some nutritional benefit from it as well?

Get in ma belly!!!! This amazing concoction is truly a summer-time comfort food. It has all the necessary components! Chocolate, ice cream, syrup and even strawberries. How could you not want to eat this???!!! Nom, nom, nom...

I don't know about you, but Twix has always been my favorite candy bar <gasp!!!>. Yes, even as a clean eater, I will (on very rare occasion) indulge in a store bought version (remember the 80/20 rule before you get upset). But thanks to this amazing recipe, I have just reconsidered the error of my ways. I mean, just imagine an entire plate of Twix bars sitting on your counter top just waiting to be enjoyed? <SQUEEK!!!> Well, okay. Maybe not the entire plate in one sitting, but you catch my drift... I hope...

Good grief, these look like heaven! Nothing beats raspberries in the summer — that is, unless you pair them with brownies. It's like the clouds are parting and the angels are singing just looking at the photos! Go ahead... make a batch... you know you want to!

Blueberries are a fabulous part of summer's bounty. These delicious, sweet berries are also a powerhouse of nutrition! Mix them together with some whole food ingredients (yes... real, actual food... nothing from a boxed mix!) and you've got a recipe for pure deliciousness!

Summer and key lime "anything" just belong together. That tart flavor has a way of breaking through the summer heat and leaving you with nothing but a purely refreshed feeling. And just think, on a hot day, these come out of the freezer!!! Who wouldn't love that? I can just see myself sitting by the pool or at the beach with an ice tea in one hand and one of these in the other. Pure summer-time pleasure!

Pizza is one of my favorite food groups. Well, okay... it's not a food "group" all by itself, but it should be! Pizza comes in so many variations that the possibilities are pretty endless. You can even enjoy pizza for dessert! Come on my fellow pizza lovers.... you know you want to try this! Just look at all those delicious summer berries!!

Lemon curd is an exquisite thing. Better than pudding, softer than a cloud and indescribably delicious! Nothing beats the combination of sweetness and lemony tartness, especially during the hot summer months. You can spread this on some whole grain toast at breakfast, or save it for dessert. I am not embarrassed to say that I ate it straight from the jar. Yeah.... it's that good.

Summer is a time for indulging. We indulge in relaxation, time with friends and family, vacations and lots of lovely meals with those we care for. So it only stands to reason that indulging in a little chocolate this summer is par for the course. And these whole-food chocolate cookies are nothing if not indulgent! And did I mention that you don't have heat up the oven to bake them? You're welcome.

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1090563/clean-eating-desserts-with-nutritional-valueThu, 23 Jul 2015 12:02:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088994/pineapple-upside-down-cake-ice-cream
Birthday cake ice cream seems to be sweeping the kid world, but pineapple upside-down cake ice cream is the sort of dessert hybrid we can get behind!Love pineapple upside-down cake? Love ice cream? This is one dessert recipe you're not going to want to pass up. This frozen treat is everything you love about the classic fruity cake packed into one frosty treat.

A vanilla-based ice cream is mixed with cake mix, pineapple and coconut oil along with fresh diced cherries. (If you want to add even more cherries, do! That ruby-red color just pops in this ice cream.)

Yellow cake mix would give this dessert a yellow color, but white cake mix would work just as well. If you can't find fresh cherries for this recipe, use jarred maraschino cherries. Cherries are currently in season in much of America, though.

No-churn pineapple upside-down cake ice cream recipe

Pineapple upside-down cake inspired this ice cream (as did show me the yummy). Roasted pineapple, fresh cherries and cake mix make the frosty treat just as good, if not better, than the original.

More homemade ice cream recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088994/pineapple-upside-down-cake-ice-creamWed, 22 Jul 2015 14:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089849/tropical-buttermilk-sherbet-recipe
Easy, flavorful sherbet that employs a variety of fruits and tangy buttermilk — this is summer in a bowl. It's light, refreshing, sweet and made with beautiful tropical fruits, including mango, pineapple, strawberries and peaches. And the best part? It’s very simple to make.I leave my ice cream canister in my freezer during the summer months for quick and easy desserts, so if you're looking for a way to cool down quickly and get your dessert fix, this is the way to go.

My trick to cutting prep time is buying a bag of frozen tropical fruits from the store, and by the time I get home they are completely thawed and ready for a whirl in the food processor.

This sherbet has a buttermilk-like tangy note mixed with flavors of the tropics, and the taste is truly exceptional. Though it's difficult to be patient while it freezes, it’s always worth the wait.

More dessert recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089849/tropical-buttermilk-sherbet-recipeTue, 21 Jul 2015 14:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088590/key-lime-cookies
Store-bought sugar cookie dough and a no-bake filling make these mini Key lime pie cups a cinch to whip up.One of my favorite desserts of all time is Key lime pie. I love the tangy citrus flavor the Key limes add and the creamy texture that whipped cream lends, balancing out the tartness. While traditionally this pie uses a graham cracker crust, I opted to swap that out for sugar cookie dough I picked up at my grocery store.

Another ingredient commonly used in Key lime pie? Egg yolks, which are sometimes beaten into the filling. Since I didn’t want to be bothered with the worry of raw eggs or taking the extra time to cook the filling, I simply skipped the eggs and made a whipped Key lime filling using lime juice and heavy whipping cream.

Not only is this dessert super simple to prepare, it's wonderful to serve when entertaining guests or if you want to have just a tiny bite of dessert to satisfy those pesky sweet tooth cravings.

Key lime pie sugar cookie cups recipe

This popular tangy citrus pie is transformed into a full-flavored lime treat in bite-size form.

More Key lime pie recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088590/key-lime-cookiesTue, 21 Jul 2015 10:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089989/sea-creature-cupcakes
These cute sea turtle and crab cupcakes are perfect for any pool party and really easy to make in bulk.The candy aisle of most grocery stores will have all the gummy candies needed to create these underwater friends, and you can snag candy eyes at stores or online.

Start by frosting your cupcakes. I used bright blue food coloring in my frosting. You can also use buttercream instead of canned frosting if you'd like.

To make the crab, place a candy cherry slice toward the front of a cupcake.

Using clean shears, cut off 2 ends of another cherry slice.

Cut a triangle out of each end to give you the crab claws.

Place the claws next to the crab's body.

Cut a red spice drop in half.

Press candy eyes into the cut side of each half.

Place the eyes above the crab's body, and you're done. Yep, it's that easy!

For the sea turtle, place a peach ring candy slightly to one side of center on the cupcake.

Cut off the small end of a spearmint leaf candy.

Use your scissors to expose a sticky spot on each side of the large end of a spearmint leaf, then press a candy eye onto each side.

Place the turtle head in front of the peach ring.

Cut another spearmint leaf in half, through the sides.

From each half, cut a curved shape.

Place the long curved pieces at the front of the peach ring for flippers.

Place the smaller oval pieces at the back of the peach ring for flippers.

Cut off the top of a red spice drop, and press the bottom, sticky side down, into the peach ring.

Repeat with the remaining cupcakes for a whole family of candy crabs and turtles.

Sea creature cupcakes recipe

These cute little sea creature cupcake toppers are quick and easy to make. If you are running low on red spice drops from your bag of candy, you can use orange ones for the turtle shells instead.

Yields 24

Prep time: 45 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

24 prepared cupcakes (use the flavored mix of your choice)

1 can vanilla frosting

Food coloring (I used bright blue Wilton)

For the crab cupcakes

24 cherry slice candies

12 red spice drop candies

24 candy eyes

For the turtle cupcakes

12 peach ring candies

24 spearmint leaf candies

24 candy eyes

12 red spice drop candies

Directions:

While your cupcakes are cooling, dye your frosting to the color of your choice. I went with blue for ocean water.

When the cupcakes are cool, use a knife to spread frosting onto each one.

To make the crabs, place a candy cherry slice toward the front of each of 12 cupcakes.

Cut off the 2 ends of another cherry slice, then cut a triangle out of each end to give you the crab claws. Place the claws next to the crab's body.

Cut a red spice drop in half, press candy eyes into the cut side of each half, and then place the eyes above the crab's body.

For the sea turtles, place a peach ring candy slightly to one side of center on the remaining 12 cupcakes.

Cut off the small end of a spearmint leaf candy, use your scissors to expose a sticky spot on each side of the large end of a spearmint leaf, and then press a candy eye onto each side.

Place the turtle head in front of the peach ring.

Cut another spearmint leaf in half, through the sides, and cut a curved shape from each half.

Place the long curved pieces at the front of the peach ring, and the smaller oval pieces at the back of the peach ring for flippers.

Cut off the top of a red spice drop, and press the bottom, sticky side down, into the peach ring.

More cute cupcake recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089989/sea-creature-cupcakesMon, 20 Jul 2015 11:33:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089731/cobbler-recipes
Stone fruit season is here, and although the popular expression is "easy as pie," there's almost nothing as easy as a cobbler, crisp or crumble. Lurking among these fruity desserts may just be your new go-to summer dessert, whether it's a Charlotte, sonker or pandowdy!1. Individual cherry-almond crumbles

2. Southern-style peach cobbler (gluten-free)

Somehow this stunning Southern-style peach cobbler, baked with maple sugar, bourbon and brown butter, also manages to be gluten-free. It's nice to know that just because you have to avoid gluten doesn't mean you can't have a scrumptious cobbler like this one.

3. Blackberry sonker with dip

Nobody can seem to agree on just one way to make this seasonal Appalachian treat, but it's hard to argue about it when you're busy spooning up blackberry sonker and sweet custard into your maw (which now features purple-stained teeth)!

5. Strawberry, rhubarb and bourbon cobbler with ginger-oat scones

Like ebony and ivory and vanilla and chocolate, strawberries and rhubarb are a perfect pair that just never get old. This strawberries and rhubarb cobbler is twice-baked for an extra-thick, extra-luscious filling. After one forkful of the bubbling fruit and ginger-oat scone, you'll know the exceptional dessert was well-worth the extra effort.

7. Fruit crumble jars

8. Huckleberry crisp

Blueberry lovers will adore this huckleberry crisp, featuring a berry native to the U.S. that is sweeter and more flavorful than its blueberry cousins. Huckleberries are not yet widely commercially available, so you may have to (carefully, keeping in mind that some berries are poisonous!) collect them on your next hike, or seek them out at the farmer's market if they're local to you.

9. Apple Charlotte with vanilla crème Anglaise

The apple Charlotte is closely related to the brown Betty, an English pudding that inspired generations of grunts, slumps, cobblers, crisps, crumbles, buckles, sonkers and pandowdies. We love this one's elegant finished look.

13. Strawberry-raspberry cobbler

You don't have to use a cast-iron skillet for this strawberry-raspberry cobbler, but why wouldn't you? This cast-iron cobbler will bake up aromatic and juicy, and the lemony biscuits on top are like the icing on the cake (so to speak).

14. Mom's peach cobbler

Everyone has that favorite recipe that Mom used to make, and this peach cobbler won't disappoint.

More cobbler and crisp recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089731/cobbler-recipesMon, 20 Jul 2015 08:30:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089082/edible-candy-bugs
You may not want to taste real edible insects, but you can surprise your friends and family with these cute bugs made from candy.Whether you prefer fluttery butterflies, slimy snails or creepy-crawlies, with just a few ingredients you can create a cute candy version of your favorite bug.

Start by dipping each pretzel into melted white candy melts. This is the messy part. You can dip them several times so the holes are filled in or dip them once and let the candy drip off to leave the holes open.

Place the dipped pretzels on a sheet of parchment paper, sprinkle them well with nonpareils, and let harden. If you're having extremely hot weather like we are right now, you can place them in the fridge.

Roll a Tootsie Roll between your hands to create the butterfly body.

Now dip the bottom end of each pretzel back into the candy melts, and press onto the Tootsie Roll. You will need to hold them in place until the candy melt hardens, or prop them up in your fridge.

To make the snails, you will need peppermint candies, mini gumdrops and Twizzler Pull 'n' Peel candies.

Slice a thin edge off a gumdrop.

Pull off a piece of Twizzler, and slice it in half vertically.

Use a toothpick to poke 2 holes into the top front of the gumdrop (opposite of the side you sliced away), then poke 2 segments of Twizzler into each hole for antennae.

Now press a peppermint candy up against the cut side of the gumdrop, attaching it with the stickiness of the gumdrop.

To make the beetle, you will need mini pretzels, Mounds bars and Mike and Ike candies in the colors of your choice.

Start by cutting the tips off of several Mike and Ike candies. These tips will be the spots on your beetle.

Press them gently onto a Mounds bar. I found they could stick on their own, but I was less likely to break the Mounds bar if I used a few melted chocolate chips to stick them in place.

Slice the 3 curved pieces off a pretzel.

Cut each of those pieces in half, and you have 6 legs.

Carefully poke the legs into the sides of the candy bar.

You can leave the bug as is or increase the cuteness factor by using melted chocolate chips to stick on a couple of candy eyes.

So many cute bugs to choose from! Which one is your favorite?

Candy butterfly recipe

These butterflies are fun to make and sweet to eat. You can get creative by mixing up different colors of candy melts or sprinkles.

Serves 1

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 2 minutes | Total time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

3 ounces white candy melts

2 mini pretzels

Colored nonpareils

1 colored Tootsie Roll

Directions:

Melt the candy melts according to the package instructions.

Dip each pretzel into the white candy melts. This is the messy part. You can dip them several times so the holes are filled in or dip them once and let the candy drip off to leave the holes open.

Place the dipped pretzels on a sheet of parchment paper, sprinkle them well with nonpareils, and let harden.

While they're hardening, roll the Tootsie Roll between your hands to create the butterfly body.

Now dip the bottom end of each pretzel back into candy melts, press onto the Tootsie Roll, and then hold them in place until the candy melt hardens.

Candy snail recipe

These little snails are the simplest bug to make! You can mix up different colors of mints and gumdrops to create a whole family of them.

Serves 1

Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 mini gumdrop

1 peppermint candy

1 Twizzler Pull 'n' Peel candy

Directions:

Slice a thin strip off 1 edge of the gumdrop.

Pull off 1 strand of Twizzler, slice 1 end in half lengthwise, and then cut it off. You should have 2 skinny pieces about 1/2 inch long.

Use a toothpick to poke 2 holes into the top front of the gumdrop, on the opposite side of the edge you sliced off.

Poke the Twizzler pieces into each hole.

Press the peppermint into the cut side of the gumdrop so that it sticks.

Candy beetle bug recipe

These beetles are as fun to make as they are to eat. You can get creative with the colors of candy and designs you make with their spots.

Serves 1

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 2 minutes | Total time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

3-4 Mike and Ike candies

10 chocolate chips

1 Mounds bar

2 candy eyes

1 mini pretzel

Directions:

Slice the tips off of each Mike and Ike candy.

Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for 15 seconds at a time, stirring, until melted.

Use a toothpick to put a little chocolate onto the Mounds bar in each spot that you want your dots, then gently press a Mike and Ike tip onto the chocolate.

Use a couple more dabs of melted chocolate to stick the candy eyes onto the end.

Slice the 3 curved pieces off a pretzel, then cut each of those pieces in half to make 6 legs.

Carefully poke the legs into the sides of the candy bar, 3 on each side.

More edible animals

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089082/edible-candy-bugsSat, 18 Jul 2015 05:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088476/oatmeal-peach-cookies
The second peach season hits, I turn into a hoarder. A fruit hoarder. At any given time, there are no less than six peaches in my countertop fruit bowl. I need a few on hand for eating, a few for baking/cooking and definitely a few for salads .No other fruit even comes close to challenging a juicy, ripe peach for me — they are hands down my all-time favorite. These oat-packed cookies celebrate all there is to love about peaches in a bite-size snack you can feel good about eating. They're about as healthy as a cookie can get.

Oatmeal-peach cookies recipe

A healthy oat, coconut, pecan cookie packed with fresh diced peaches is perfect for a summertime snack or dessert.

More peach recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088476/oatmeal-peach-cookiesFri, 17 Jul 2015 15:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088424/vegan-chocolate-pie-bites
Need a super-easy dessert that’s completely dairy-free? These bite-size treats are the perfect mini treat, making them great for entertaining, for kids or for just a small treat when that sweet tooth strikes.

I used puff pastry as the crust, pricking it with a fork before baking so that it didn't rise too much. Vegans, be sure to check the ingredients on your package of pastry before using it to ensure it's dairy-free. Once the crusts were baked, I topped the rounds with a super-creamy chocolate pie filling containing a secret ingredient: avocado.

Don’t be dismayed when you spy avocado in this recipe. Not only does it make the chocolate topping ultra creamy, it also adds fiber and nutrients without giving the dessert an odd flavor. It definitely works here — give it a try.

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry dough.

Using the biscuit cutter, cut 12 circles out of the dough, and place them on the parchment paper. Poke each piece of dough with a fork several times, and then bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven, and let cool for 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the chocolate filling.

Using a hand mixer, mix the filling until it is very thick and creamy and there are no lumps. Cover, and chill the chocolate filling for 30 minutes.

When ready to assemble, place the puff pastry shells on a serving platter.

Spoon the chocolate filling into the center of each pastry shell, and garnish with coconut whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Best served immediately.

Tip: When soaking the cashews, place the nuts in a large bowl, and cover them with warm water. Allow to sit on the counter and soak for 4 hours or overnight.

More vegan dessert ideas

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088424/vegan-chocolate-pie-bitesThu, 16 Jul 2015 08:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089583/frozen-banana-polar-bear-pops
It takes less than five minutes to turn a frozen banana half into an adorable polar bear for this fun summer snack.Whether you want to make one bear at a time or make a bunch to keep in the freezer, these easy bear snacks are simply adorable.

Start by freezing banana halves on ice pop sticks. I like to use a sheet of parchment paper to make sure they don't stick to anything as they freeze.

Notice the way the ice pop sticks are inserted into the bananas. The bears' faces will be on the left sides of the bananas in the photo, so I made sure the sticks are facing that way too. It makes it easier to assemble the bears.

Measure out your candy melts. Two cups is enough for six bears, but I still used that much for just two bears because it's easier to dip the bananas into. You can scrape leftover candy melts into a bag to store in the cupboard for future use.

Melt the candy according to the package instructions. It took me 90 seconds on 50 percent power.

Dip each banana half into the candy melts so they are about half covered.

Use some candy melt to stick a large marshmallow about halfway down the bear's face. The face is the side that is curving away from you.

Put a little candy melt on the "M" side of an M&M, and stick it to the front top edge of the marshmallow snout.

Use a little candy melt to stick 2 eyes above the large marshmallow.

Now use a little candy melt to stick 2 mini marshmallows onto the head for eyes. Make sure to lay them on their sides.

Fair warning: Toddlers and preschoolers may find a frozen banana to be a great sensory experience for a hot day, so be prepared for mess. Letting my son go shirtless made cleanup a breeze, and I so enjoyed his delighted giggles as he smeared his last couple of bites all over himself.

Frozen banana polar bear pops recipe

These banana bears are as easy to make as they are cute. Just make sure to use firm bananas that are still slightly green around the stem.

More edible animal recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089583/frozen-banana-polar-bear-popsWed, 15 Jul 2015 15:30:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088670/no-bake-mango-cheesecake
When I was growing up in the Philippines, I was completely taken with mangoes. I was eating them as is, sometimes mixed with desserts or sometimes even with savory dishes. I consider them the best fruit in the world. Since they are indigenous there, mango recipes are abundant, and one of the favorite desserts there is mango cheesecake. Imagine a slice of cheesecake with a mound of fresh, bright yellow mango pulp dripping on the sides. It's heavenly!I made a simple version that can easily be made in under half an hour and with no cooking or baking involved, just a bit of mixing. Just be mindful of the kind of mangoes you use. I use the Philippine carabao variety, and if you are in other parts of the world, get a variety that is similar to it, like Manila mangoes. The cream cheese you choose has to have a very mild taste — nothing cheesy, or it will taste too heavy. In the end, with a choice of good ingredients, you can have a delicious, simple dessert.

Mini mango cheesecake with chocolate crust in jars recipe

Sweet, ripe mangoes are delicious fruits to eat as is or mixed with desserts. With this no-bake cheesecake, in under half an hour you will have one good reason to keep on having mangoes.

Yields 6

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

6 ounces chocolate cookies

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups mild cream cheese (like Philadelphia)

2 tablespoons icing sugar

3 lemons, zest only, divided

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups fresh sweet mango pulp (like Manila mangoes), small diced

Directions:

In a food processor, grind the cookies until they become fine crumbs.

To a medium bowl, transfer the cookie crumbs, then add in the cocoa powder and butter, and mix well. Divide the mixture among the 6 jars, and compress it well by pressing with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the cheesecake.

In another small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar, 1/2 the lemon zest and the lemon juice well, until the mixture becomes compact. Distribute the mixture among the 6 jars, on top of the cookie crust, and refrigerate again.

Mix the mangoes with the remaining lemon zest. Distribute the mixture among the 6 jars.

More cheesecake recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088670/no-bake-mango-cheesecakeMon, 13 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089032/homemade-dunkaroos
Remember Dunkaroos, those crunchy little cookies that came with a dip so you could dunk them? They were a classic '90s snack and unfortunately they have become really hard to find. So I decided to try my hand at homemade Dunkaroos.

The cookies are like mini super-flavorful graham crackers and the dip is tasty, festive and colorful because of the sprinkles. You can make them together or individually. The cookies are delicious and you can serve the dip with your favorite cookie.

I used small animal-shaped cookie cutters but any small cookie cutter would do. If you choose to use larger cookie cutters increase the baking time accordingly.

Homemade copycat Dunkaroos recipe

Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, this will yield 30-50 small cookies.

Directions:

In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and honey for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and whip for a few more seconds.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Don't worry if the dough seems crumbly or dry.

Wrap the dough tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.

Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a small cookie cutter to make shapes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes until golden brown. The cookies should be crunchy, so don't take them out early.

Funfetti sprinkle dip recipe

Using room temperature whipped butter and whipped cream cheese makes a really creamy and smooth dip you can whisk by hand. If you're using regular butter and cream cheese, use a stand mixer or hand blender.

More copycat recipes

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089032/homemade-dunkaroosMon, 13 Jul 2015 10:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089197/cake-decorating-ideas
There's nothing more fun than throwing a party, but getting the house ready and baking a cake from scratch? Yeah, probably not happening.Luckily there's a lot you can do with a store-bought cake and some ingenuity. These hacks will help your grocery store cake be as baller as the rest of your party.

1. Remove the tacky stuff

Weird icing balloons, hard-as-rocks candy flowers, boring candles — your first step is to remove the tacky decorations that probably came with your cake. Then you have a blank canvas to jazz up with fresh flowers, some interesting ribbon — whatever you like. You can even turn a birthday cake into a cheap wedding cake with the right touches.

2. Keep a stash of unique decor on hand

Make a store-bought cake look truly unique by adding your own cute decorations. Keep a stash of them on hand so you're never caught off guard. From bunting to balloons, these decorations beat the socks off whatever the bakery of your local grocery store put together.

3. Add your own icing

If the icing on your cake looks a little too perfect, whip up a batch of homemade buttercream — or just take out the Cool Whip — and apply a thick layer to your cake. It'll look more homey in no time. Unique flavors can help set your cake apart too. Try this peanut buttercream on a bakery-bought chocolate cake.

7. Write a message

Forget writing with icing — you can use fun gummy letters to spell out celebration wishes on a plain, frosted, grocery store cake. It looks way cooler than anything you could do with those hard candy letters (and have you tried to write in icing before? It's harder than you think!).

10. Layer it

Transform your cake by layering it with other ingredients. From cubing store-bought angel food or pound cake to use in a trifle to slicing two store-bought birthday cakes horizontally and layering them with jam and buttercream to create a towering masterpiece, being willing to slice and dice your store-bought cake opens up a world of possibilities.

I know I do, especially when there's no baking involved, no fancy equipment and no fancy techniques. Plus, this particular recipe is the perfect excuse to buy Milano cookies in excess. You know... in case you make a bunch of mistakes.

All you need are Milanos, candy melts and a handful of M&M'S, and you're ready to smuggle these adorable cookies into the theater with your flask. What? Oh come on, you know you do it.

minion cookies

minion cookies

There's more where that came from. Get ready for edible minion cuteness overload.

More sweet treats

]]>http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1089028/minion-cookiesThu, 09 Jul 2015 08:00:00 -0700http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1088550/ice-cream-hot-dog-cake
Take dessert to a whole new level of cool with these mini hot dogs that are actually cake and ice cream in disguise.The hot dog is really chocolate ice cream, the hot dog buns are made from white cake mix, and the condiments are actually frosting. These are as fun to make as they are to eat.

Start making the "hot dogs" by scooping about 1/2 cup of ice cream onto a piece of plastic wrap.

Holding it in the plastic, press the ice cream into a log shape.

Twist the ends, and tuck them under the ice cream, then place it in the freezer. Repeat with the ice cream, making one log shape at a time to get them into the freezer right away.

To make your "hot dog buns," you need to use the aluminum foil to create little bun pans inside the loaf pan. Start with sheets of foil 12 inches by 7 inches.

Fold each sheet of foil in half.

Then fold up the front and back about an inch.

Now pinch the edge as you fold up the side, almost like folding the end of a present you're wrapping.

It should make a nice corner that's slightly rounded.

Repeat with the other corner on that edge.

Fold the other end the same way to make a little oval bread pan. Place 4 of these into each bread pan. Line the bottom of the mini foil pans with a strip of parchment paper, then use spray oil (I used a canola oil) to grease each foil pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into each one comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and leave them in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove each mini loaf pan, and peel the foil and parchment paper from each one. Place them on the rack to cool completely.

While they're cooling, divide your frosting. Mix red food coloring into one batch and yellow into the other, then put them into a couple of squeeze bottles.

Once your cakes are cool, you can prep them. Cut a wedge out of the top of each "bun."

Unwrap the ice cream "hot dogs," and place them into the "buns." You can use your finger to quickly smooth out any lines or holes.

Then squeeze a squiggle of ketchup and mustard onto each one. Serve these quick before your "hot dogs" melt away! You can also make the squeeze bottles of frosting available for people to add to their "dogs."

Cake and ice cream hot dogs recipe

You can use any chocolate ice cream for this cute dessert, but it works best if it doesn't have any chocolate chunks or other added ingredients.